Police detail gang activity Friday in South Seattle

A police report released Tuesday details a police effort late Friday night to move known gang members out of a South Seattle neighborhood.

When police arrived in the 9700 block of Rainier Avenue South about 11:45 p.m., officers saw about 50 juveniles – both teenage boys and girls – lingering in the street, knocking over traffic cones.

Many in the group were recognized by police as members of the 74 Hoover Criminals – a gang linked to several violent Seattle events.

“They appeared to be leaving a large house party in the area,” officer Thomas Umporowicz Jr. wrote in the report. “I cleared the group out of the street, and assisting officers and I monitored the Rainier Beach area until they all left the area.”

Police said the group had earlier been hanging out at the intersection of Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson Street – an area known for gang activity. Officers there recovered a gun and drugs there from a suspected gang members, according to police.

After a man was shot at the Garfield Community Center on Dec. 16, police believed six 74 Hoover members were possibly waiting for retaliation from Central District gangs, according to a report. One was arrested for illegally carrying a .32-caliber handgun.

The victim in a Nov. 23 shooting at Vito’s Madison Grill was tied to the 74 Hoovers, police said, and officers had been interested in talking to Cheatham about possible information in that case.

One boy killed last November at Westfield Southcenter mall and another who was wounded had ties to the 74 Hoovers, according to police.

People also wore colors representing the 74 Hoovers at the January 2008 funeral for De’Che Morrison, who was shot to death that month in the 4200 block of South Rose Street.

Late last month, a felon illegally possessing a gun said he needed for protection because Hoover gang members had shot at him, and he was still being targeted.